Hawk’s Nest – West Coast Getaway
Basking on the sunny shore of Lake Cowichan, Hawk’s Nest is the ultimate in weekend getaways. An owner with a taste for adventure and fun, and the stunning natural beauty of the Cowichan Valley are perfect companions in this West Coast lake house.
Walking through Hawk Nest’s front door you are immediately immersed in a light-drenched tower that anchors the building’s design. Its layered timber frame and intricate architectural ceiling details create a space that perfectly frames the functional sculpture that is the main staircase. Appearing to float in space, a single stringer supports all three U-shaped flights of stairs. This showstopper of an entrance is both form and function, accommodating a walkway joining the garage and front foyer, and acting as the main spoke for traffic throughout the home.
The open layout means that you never feel far from the lake. Each main floor space has floor to ceiling glass and opens out onto a deck that spans the width of the home. The living room was designed to capture every last ray of sunshine, making the space feel bright and airy, while Sandy Nygard’s interior design lends a feeling of cozy cabin; a dichotomy that creates a space that people gravitate to. The focal point of the room is a Rumsford fireplace, a famously efficient way to heat a room, and a beautiful nod to the rustic in this upscale lakefront home. Open storage flanks the fireplace where the stacked firewood becomes decor itself. The living room is a natural choice to relax in after a day on the water and watch your favourite show. But, not wanting a television to dominate the space, the owners installed a TV lift so it can be tucked away until it’s wanted, leaving the home’s natural surroundings as the focus of the living room.
The kitchen has an economical layout to pack a big punch in a modest footprint; every aspect front-facing the view. A bank of floor to ceiling storage along the back wall eliminates the need for upper cabinets, creating sightlines to the lake from every inch of the space. The open wood beams on the ceiling and a steel island with open shelves evokes rustic, while still feeling modern and classy.
The entire project’s design was driven by the view. Curving foundation walls create a bend to the lake-side facade to maximize views from every room. This curve extends to the deck off the primary suite, which occupies the entire top floor of the home. The en-suite bathroom was designed with nature in mind, with views from the bathtub and an interior opaque French door providing natural light into the walk-in water closet.
The lower floor was designed for guests and recreation. Three guest bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom and one with a lake view, share this level with a rec room for games and a home theatre for epic movie nights. The rec room opens onto a large patio with ample room for lounging. The sunken hot tub on the terraced deck is equipped with a hydraulic lift for access to the mechanicals. The glass covered pergolas makes for a mixture of covered and exposed seating areas across all three levels of outdoor living space.
The stacked garage has an additional lower garage accessed by a full size car lift, so speedboats can be stowed beneath other vehicles.
We designed a custom lakefront home that married form with function. An owner with a zest for fun and a need for the toys that go along with that, a natural environment that begged to be integrated indoors, and a desire to not waste an inch of the lake views - Hawk’s Nest is the ultimate West Coast summer retreat.
More images of Hawk’s Nest can be found on our Projects page.